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Barclays Center contractors place a mostly uncovered mound of dirt on block 1129 close to homes; there appear to be numerous violations of the Amended Environmental Commitments Memo (updated)

Submitted by Peter K. on July 2, 2011 - 2:52pm

(The text in italics has been updated since the original post).

Barclays Center contractors have created a large stockpile for dirt at the intersection of Dean Street and Carlton Avenue. The photo on the right was taken Friday, July 1st. The mound, mostly uncovered for much of last week, is across the street from homes on Dean Street and Carlton Avenue. As of Sunday, July 3rd the covering has been extended to cover the top of the pile. The issue was first brought to the attention of this website by an incident report filed Tuesday, June 28th.

A second smaller pile on block 1129 has been left uncovered as of Sunday, July 3rd.

It is unclear why this stockpile and the procedure it is associated with are located so close to residences.

The pile appears to violate numerous commitments as detailed in the Amended Environmental Commitments Memo. Dirt was visibly blowing off the pile on Friday, July 1st.

The pile is one element of a multi-step process which apparently involves sifting gravel from the Barclays Center construction site in order to clean or reuse it. Dirt is brought from the arena block to block 1129 via Dean Street, unloaded and eventually sifted at the location of the pile. It is then removed by truck, possibly back to the arena block for reuse. No wetting was visible during this process July 1st. If the pile was sprayed with a suppressing agent, it was inadequate to the purpose.

The Amended Memorandum of Environmental Commitments states "all stockpiled dry materials (e.g., sand, aggregate) shall be water-misted; sprayed with non-hazardous, biodegradable suppressing agent; covered; or otherwise enclosed." It also states "loading of any dry material which may release dust from trucks shall be accompanied by manual water spraying of the material," and that "a washing station shall be constructed for all truck exits." None of these commitments appear to be met in this case.

This process may also be the reason construction trucks associated with Laquila filled with gravel have been leaving the construction site and traveling down Dean Street passed Dean Playground. Dean Street and Carlton Avenues are not designated truck routes.